Switch controlling assembly



Jan. 27, 1948. w T, KNAUTH SWITCH CONTROLLING ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 1, 1945 Patented Jan. 27, 1948 SWITCH' CONTROLLING ASSEMBLY Walter T. Knauth, Houston, Tex., assignorto- The Milwhite 00., Inc., Houston,',Tex., a.cor.-

poration ApplicationJanuary-l, 1945; Serial No. 570,822

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates'to' a switch controlling assembly.

An: object of the invention is toprovide means for: hydraulically controlling an electric switch and which is specially adapted for use in connection with lines which conduct fluid containingabrasive or other foreign material; the controlling assembly is of such construction that itawill'exclude all foreign matter from the operating mechanism and will at the same time withstand exceptionally high pressure.

More specifically afurther object of the in-- vention is to provide a: switch operating mechanism which; includesv a plunger: and a diaphriagm so arranged that the diaphragm will separate the liquid from the essential movable.

parts. of the. mechanism and, after the diaphragm has been moved by the liquid pressure the required distance to actuate the plunger to operate the switch, said diaphragm will have a continuous, unyielding support which will withstand the maximum excess pressure to which the diaphragm may be subjected without further movement of the diaphragm and conseqnently without injury to said diaphragm.

With the, above and other objects in view'the invention has particular relation to. certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying; drawings, wherein:

Figure.- 1 shows a sectional View of thegassembly as connected to a fluid conducting line.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates a casing which is formed of heavy material and is preferably cylindrical in shape. At one end the casing is threaded and i shown connected into a T-connection of a fluid conducting line. The other end of the casing is threaded to receive the cover 2 which is provided with a stufiing box 3 to form a seal around the electric wiring 4.

The casing l encloses a strong coil spring 5 and is internally threaded, at its outer end, to receive an adjusting nut 6 which is screwed therein against the outer end of the spring 5.

At its other end the casing is internally counterbored so as to provide an inner counter- 2 bore 1 andan outercounterbore 8', the former. of'fwhich is-of less inside diameterthanthe lat-- ter. 'Iheannular: shoulders 9 and ii. are thus provided.

There is a plunger H which extends through the casing and through-the nut 6', axially.

Fixed on the plunger and working in. the counterbore I there is the abutment. [2 which supports the spring 5..

Fitted into the counterbore; 8 and-iagainstg the shoulder Hl there isthe clamp block" l3? through; which the plunger, also; works.

Screwed into the inner end of the vcounterbore 8; there is a clamp nutv M-and'the margin of; a flexible diaphragm I5 isclamped, by. said, nut, againstthefacing. side of theblock [3. The; adjacent end/of the plunger l3 normally projects: beyond the. blockl3 and against the diaphragm.

The numeral l 61 designates a conventional elec.--- tric switch to the posts of which. the conductors. i are conneetedat one end. The other endsof. these conductors are connected to an electric. motor whichoperates the pump which pumps; the fluid through the line. This switch is sup: ported in position by the legs I! whichv may be. secured in anypreferred. manner to the adjacent end of the casing I.. The switchand its,

operating mechanism are enclosed by the cap 2'. Screwed into the corresponding end of they casing! and upstanding within the cap 2 there. is a post. lll which is bifurcated at its upper end to. receive one end of. the. lever I9 which. is. pinned therein. Pivoted to the other end of the lever 19 there is a link 20 which is also pivoted to the control arm 2'] of the switch.

The lever l9 has a bore intermediate its ends through which a screw 22 is loosely fitted. This screw is screwed into the upper end of the plunger H and has a head thereon. A resilient washer 23 is located between the head of the screw and the lever l9 and a similar washer 24 is located between the lever and the opposing end of said plunger. These washers 23 and 24 form cushions.

While the fluid flowing through the line 25 is under normal pressure the parts of the assembly will be in the position shown in Figure 1. The bore 1 is of sufiicient depth to allow a limited movement of the plunger ll. While the fluid flowing through the line is under normal pressure the abutment l2 will be in contact with the clamp block and the plunger l I will project beyond said block to hold the diaphragm 15 extended or spaced away from the block l3. This will be effected as a result of the pressure of the 3 spring 5. Upon an increase in the pressure of the liquid flowing through the line 25 suflicient to overcome the pressure of the spring 5 the increased pressure will be efiective to move the diaphragm I5 and the plunger l I so as to actuate the lever 19 and link 20 which in turn will operate the control arm 2| and actuate the switch. Thus the increase in pressure and subsequent actuation of the switch will be efiective to either start or stop an electric motor or other electric appliance.

The movement of the plunger as a result of the pressure in the line is limited by the shoulder 9 and its movement under the influence of the spring 5 is limited by the clamp block 13.

When the plunger is, moved as a result of increased pressure in the line 25 into contact with the shoulder 9 the corresponding end of the plun or will be flush with the face of the clamp block 13 which is adjacent the diaphragm and said end of the plunger and said face of the clamp block will form a smooth but firm backing for the diaphragm so that said diaphragm will not be ruptured or injured by the pressure irrespective of the intensity of said pressure over normal.

The switch controlling assembly herein described has been illustrated as connected to a fluid conducting line but it may be connected into any container or system containing fluid wherein the pressure of the fluid varies.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A hydraulically operable switch controlling assembly comprising, a casing adapted to be connected to a container for fluid, an adjusting nut having a threaded connection with the casing at one end, a plunger, one end of which extends axially through said nut, a clamp block countersunk into the other end of the casing through which the other end of the plunger works, the outer end of the plunger extending out beyond the block When the plunger is in one position, an annular abutment on the plunger on the inner side of the clamp block, said casing having an inside annular shoulder spaced from the clamp block which limits the inward movement of said abutment and plunger, said shoulder being spaced from the block a distance such that the outer end of the plunger will be flush with the outer side of the clamp block when the plunger reaches the limit of its inward movement to provide a continuous smooth diaphragm support, a coil spring in the casing around the plunger and interposed between said nut and abutment, a diaphragm exposed to the fluid, a clamp nut threaded into the casing and clamping the margin of the diaphragm against the outer side of the clamp block, and means for operatively connecting the plunger with the switch.

2. A hydraulically operable switch controlling assembly comprising, a casing adapted to be connected to a container for fluid, a. closure connected to one end of the casing, a plunger one end of which extends axially through said closure, a clamp block closing the other end of the casing, a diaphragm exposed to the fluid in the container, a clamp nut threaded into the casing and clamping the margin of the diaphragm against the outer side of the clamp block said clamp block having a central bearing through which the other end of the plunger extends, an annular shoulder within the casing spaced inwardly from the clamp block, an abutment on the plunger between the clamp block and shoulder, a coil spring in the casing around the plunger between said closure and abutment and normally holding the abutment against the clamp block with the corresponding end of the plunger projecting beyond the clamp block, said shoulder being spaced inwardly from the abutment a distance equal to the projection of the plunger beyond the clamp block so that when the plunger moves inwardly until the abutment engages said shoulder the outer end of the plunger will be flush with the outer surface of the clamp block to provide a smooth backing face for the diaphragm, and means for operatively connecting the plunger with the switch.

WALTER T. KNAUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 552,803 Williams Jan. 7, 1896 708,155 Meloon Sept. 2, 1902 775,165 Coflield Nov. 15, 1904 851,691 Newell Apr. 30, 1907 974,328 Aalborg Nov. 1, 1910 1,370,193 Crocker Mar. 1, 1921 1,586,798 Hansen et al June 1, 1926 2,281,764 I-Ianke May 5, 1942 

